NFL Week 3: Mayfield's Deal, Chargers' Collapse, and More

Mayfield's Contract: A Regret Already?

I'm not here to bash Baker Mayfield, but we all need to take a hard look at what happened in Week 1 and Week 2. The Buccaneers' decision to sign him to that three-year, $55 million-per-year contract is already showing cracks.

Mayfield has looked pedestrian through two games. He's ranked 29th among quarterbacks in EPA per dropback and 27th in success rate. Two games are too small a sample size, but even when we include his performance from last season and the season before that, things don't look great. Since 2024, Mayfield has been 13th in EPA and 13th in success rate -- and that's when he was playing at his peak with the right offensive system.

The real concern is his play under pressure. Mayfield struggles when defenders get to him. He's had a 22.8% pressure-to-sack ratio, which ranks eighth highest in the league. His scrambling rate has dropped dramatically this season, yet he's still getting sacked at a high rate (9.2%).

"Mayfield is aggressively climbing the pocket despite the fact that there's plenty of room to stand and throw, and accordingly, he's too late to get the ball to Godwin by the time he reaches a throwing platform."

That's exactly what happened in his game against the Browns. The Buccaneers were attempting to create a play with Emeka Egbuka moving into the bunch, but Mayfield was too slow getting the ball out and got sacked. This isn't just about bad luck -- it's about how he handles pressure.

And let's not ignore the fact that Mayfield is 31 years old now, a veteran in a league where athleticism matters so much. He's already showing signs of wear with his high sack rate and tendency to take hits on scrambles. Paying him that kind of money without getting more data points is a gamble that might not pay off.

Chargers' Bottom-10 Pick? Absolutely

I can't think of any team worse than the Chargers right now (0-2). They're struggling with every aspect of their game. The offensive line is an absolute disaster, and their defense is just as problematic. It's like watching the 2022 Broncos under Nathaniel Hackett all over again.

With the same interior offensive line that made life hell for quarterbacks last season, they've done nothing to improve it. The guard-center-guard trio is one of the worst in the NFL. Their tackles are still recovering from injuries and they're not playing up to par either.

The offense is a mess too. Justin Herbert is constantly dropping his eyes and climbing the pocket when he should be throwing deep. His quick pressure rate is 21.5%, seventh highest among all quarterbacks. And their run game? Terrible. They've only had a 9.1% explosive rush rate, which is terrible for a team that was supposed to be improving.

But the worst part? They're turning the ball over constantly. Seven fumbles in two games, with six of them happening against the Raiders. Their offensive penalties are second-worst in the league, and they've lost 42 percentage points worth of win probability through turnovers. This is a team that needs to be rebuilt, not one that should be drafting high.

The Patriots' Offense: Fine, But Not Perfect

New England's performance against the Steelers was actually pretty solid, despite some turnovers. The offense ran at about 45% success rate, which is consistent with their average since last season.

Drake Maye had his moments, and even when he threw an interception (his fourth of the year), it was a well-executed defensive play that capitalized on a poor offensive decision. His scrambling ability was impressive -- he created more positives with his legs than negatives in the pocket.

The Patriots have faced a brutal schedule of opponents so far, which has made their performance seem worse than it actually is. When you're playing against defenses like the Chargers, Texans, Broncos, and Seahawks, things look bad even if they're not. But that's not to say this offense isn't good.

Maye showed some growth when he got the ball in the air with receivers like Romeo Doubs and Eli Raridon. The key for New England is getting A.J. Brown back and seeing how Maye performs against better defenses. If they can get him to be consistent, this offense could be a real threat.

Jalen Hurts' New Era

The Eagles are showing signs of improvement under the new Sean Mannion system. Jalen Hurts has been playing at a high level with limited running support. In Week 2 against the Titans, he had nine third-down conversions -- the most in a single game for him.

He's learning how to use the deep ball effectively. One of his best throws was an intermediate in-breaker to Dontayvion Wicks between the layers of the defense. That's exactly the kind of throw that can break defenses down.

The Eagles' offensive line is still a concern, but Hurts has shown some maturity in how he handles pressure and makes plays when the running game isn't working. With better timing and more consistent protection, Hurts could really shine in this new system.

Jaguars: Trenches Could Be a Problem

The Jaguars are 1-1, and they're leading the AFC South after beating the Broncos and losing to the Titans. They've shown flashes of brilliance with Trevor Lawrence, but their offensive line is still a big question mark.

They made some moves in the offseason, moving players around to improve pass protection, but it's not working yet. The line struggled against Denver, allowing four pressures apiece from Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto. That's a problem when you're trying to protect Lawrence.

On defense, they're missing a true pass rush threat. Josh Hines-Allen was shut down completely in that game. The Jaguars don't have a duo or even a deep group of edge players who can really pressure the quarterback. This could be their downfall in the playoffs if they make it that far.

Ravens' Late-Game Collapse: Henry Isn't the Answer

The Ravens have lost seven games since 2021 where they led by at least 11 points, which is insane. And now they're facing a similar situation with the Saints -- they had a good chance to win but lost in regulation.

The problem isn't that they don't have Derrick Henry on the field, it's that they're not playing well enough to take control of games early. They've been too reliant on their defense and too weak on offense when they've needed to score points.

Their offensive line is still a weakness, especially with center and tight end blocking issues. And while Henry is a great player, he can't carry an entire offense by himself. The Ravens need better talent, better play-calling, and more consistency across all positions.

Aaron Donald's Workout Regimen Paid Off

I was amazed to see Aaron Donald play 32 snaps in his return game. At 35 years old and after not playing for 2.5 years, that's a testament to his dedication to conditioning.

He was still quick off the line of scrimmage and disrupted plays effectively. His 0.75-second get-off time was tied for third-fastest among defensive tackles this season. That speed is what makes him dangerous on every play.

Yes, he didn't record a pressure in that game, but that's because it was a very strange script -- the Rams were playing with desperation, and Donald was playing in a way that suited their situation. His presence alone made it harder for the Giants to run effectively. When he's back to full form, this is still a dominant force.

Five Things I Might Think

Let's talk about some other teams that are making headlines. The Carolina Panthers are so unpredictable through two weeks that I'm not even going to try to form an opinion. Their games against the Bears and Falcons were full of weird situations, so we'll have to wait until Week 3.

The Packers are in a rough spot right now with injuries and struggling on offense. If Micah Parsons can return from his ACL injury, that might change their outlook. But they're still very much in the doghouse.

The Commanders' future looks uncertain with Jayden Daniels' elbow injury. If he's out for the season, Washington will have to make a tough decision about their quarterback situation in 2027.

And let's not forget about the Bengals and Dexter Lawrence II. He's absolutely dominating at the point of attack. It's hard to imagine he wouldn't be a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, even if his stat sheet doesn't reflect it.

Finally, I think we're going to see the Bears beat the Eagles on Monday Night Football with Tyson Bagent at quarterback. The Bears' run game is vicious, and the Eagles have no running game right now with their injured tight end Dallas Goedert out. This could be a big upset for the Eagles.